The $4 million building is being completed by The Pangere Corporation of Gary.

There won't be much moving from the present fire station 3 to its new facility, Fieffer said. What's there is old and being replaced, from bedding to kitchen equipment. Only the apparatus, turnout gear and weight room equipment will make the trek east on Central Avenue to the new facility.

The new station features four bays in the 12,000-square-foot facility. The tower truck will be moved from station two on Old Porter Road, said Fieffer, to provide a more central location in the city.

The remaining bays will be filled with an engine, rescue unit and division chief's vehicle.

The only administrative office in the new station will be for the division or turn chief. Seven personnel will initially work out of the station, but there will be room for growth. The new house can hold 12 personnel.

Invisible Fence Brand has donated a kit containing three pet oxygen masks of various sizes to the Snow Hill Fire Department.

Chief Lynwood Bunn said the new equipment includes instructions on how much oxygen to use for each size of mask as well instructions on how to perform CPR on dogs and cats.

The slip-on unit is built for the rigors of the fire service and easily mounted in the back of a pick-up truck or a custom built bed and is especially effective in handling wildland, vehicle and structure fires.

Water rescue gear and rescue stabilization equipment were among the equipment received by Burkburnett VFD. “We are pleased to have the stabilization equipment that will be beneficial when responding to auto accidents,” Burkburnett Chief Rodney Ryalls said. “The equipment can be used to stabilize overturned vehicles, large machines and also has the capability to be used as a tripod for confined space rescue.”

The equipment is intended to make it safer for Burkburnett volunteer firefighters and victims. In Graham, the new slip-on provides a more functional truck than the previous unit they had.

Fire Chief Scott Manlow said the truck replaces an aging 50-foot aerial needing costly repairs and also eliminates the need to buy a $350,000 pumper truck to the fleet this year.

During Wednesday’s unveiling, the Chief explained the new single axle truck’s maneuverability, enabling it to travel through Picton’s tight turns where the old double axle required stopping and backing up to get through. He also explained its capability to pump 1,250 gallons of water per minute from its 500 gallon tank which means “not only can we battle the fire, but we can also work ahead of it and protect neighbouring buildings.”

Morristown's first fire truck replaced the fire departments previous mode of transportation, a horse and buggy. "It was huge. I can't imagine what it would be like to go to work one day and have a horse and wagon and go to work the next day and have a motorized truck," Lieutenant Darrell Hodge with the Morristown Fire Department said.

The truck stayed in commission until the 1950's. At that point, the city gave the truck to Cherokee Park.

The vintage truck became a staple in the town.

"Oh we've heard lots of stories about this truck," Case said.

Case says the fire department has received dozens of old photos showing children and families playing on the truck during the 1950's and 1960's.